hope

Fear into Hope; Hate into Joy

Life is fraught. Not like it was, now it’s more fragile and anxious. The public square is a place of fear and alienation. It appears that there is a vast army arrayed against us and we need to prevail.

Hidden in the mist is the message that a change is near. Things are going to change; we’ll be on top and our enemies will be washed away. Many of the holy books seem to talk of it. Although the words change, the outcome is the same. We’ll be avenged against the rest and our suffering will be replaced by eternal joy.

All of these stories are based in “Dethism,” the belief that the others should die and that their destruction, debasement and dissolution are justified. Their elimination is desirable because it satiates our grievances and it is expected to alleviate our suffering. Accelerating a prophesied apocalypse is a transaction with God: that if we stay faithful, He will reward us in the end.

Sacrifice is not a common word in modern political vocabularies. Often the thought is, rather, by giving, one will receive a benefit from the transaction. A transaction is a sorry way to interact with someone you care about. You don’t give your child a hug to get something in return. “Honey I’m home!” is an expression of love and enthusiasm for a special relationship; not an expectation of a reward. Expecting God to act a certain way based on one’s own righteousness is an attempt to activate a transaction with the Uncontrollable, to trammel Him in so He will satiate those desires more quickly.

Making another happy without hope of return can release an enduring joy. One’s own strength and humanity can abide against the ones who are plotting how to produce the dethist future they imagine. Dethists are moving toward their own lamentable exercise of power. They don’t have the thought that one can offer devotion to a stranger and that their devotion will raise them both up.

If fear is all they have to offer, I can combat it with dogged joy. Joy can outlast the attitudes of enmity, alienation and division. One of the powers of such love is that it does not ask for something in return.

Walk into a future with hope that is stronger than fear. Offer joy that is elevated above the hatred.

What will come next

from the red book…

Wondering what will come next, I fell into a somber mood. The sky was ready for spring. I saw the buds on the trees start to green. It was wonderful to anticipate the returning flocks. I am always amazed when they finally arrive.

Some farmers burn their fence rows in the spring. Normally there is enough moisture that the fires don’t spread. I never liked the harsh smoke that the fires made and have never set those fires.

It has been a hard winter. The ice was everywhere. I keep my house clean so that guests will feel welcome. Some days I try too hard, and I can’t stop moving.

a clock waiting for the right time

It was windy today. I wanted to go for a walk. I have plenty of people to visit. I think they will be surprised to hear my bold knock at their door. I like it when people came to visit. Usually, it is strangers with something to sell or a message to share.

Soon I will be able to travel. I don’t go out much, but I would like to walk on a wilderness trail. I don’t want to get lost, so I stay away from the wild areas with paths that are hard to follow.

I was reading today. The words were from people who can share their stories in an inviting way. I look forward as they offer lessons that open my eyes to a new reality.

I was sorrowful when I learned how so many people are waiting for a chance to escape. While I feel safe in my home, I know that not everyone has the same attitude. What I welcome, some find as oppressive and harsh. I wish I knew what could offer a different way.

The earth is always turning and each day the sun rises from a different point on the horizon. I see the changes from season to season, but the world is more intricate than that. The planets move through the sky following their own missions. The wild animals don’t notice the changing heavens as they search for food and hope for a chance to live another day. The seasons begin when they are ready, and I wait for them to come around.

I see the world change from day to day. While I don’t always have the words to describe each change, I am glad that the changes never stop.

What’s next after hitting bottom?

In addictions such as to alcohol, drugs, gambling, work, nicotine, etc., the process of hitting bottom can be a pre-requisite for recovery. One cliché is that your bottom is where you stop digging. But, what happens after you stop digging?

The first action is to do something to improve the situation. Or, at least, start moving in a new direction. A supplementary process is to notice what you have and protect it. If you don’t value it, you’re more likely to let it go cheaply.

The successes, no matter how small, are something to value and preserve. It becomes an intuitive sense that one wants to maintain them.

It’s a transverse attitude to their focus on recovery systems and techniques. The idea is “I’ve lost everything but now that I’ve found a little better part life; I want it to stay with me.”

Abstinence and fear are repelling forces. Push away the danger; push it all away.

A desire to protect becomes an attraction that leads into the newly opened world.

It is time

Dark storm cloudsA mystical dream comes in sleep.

A black storm fills a sturdy reservoir. As the storm rages on, hope for mercy has become a hollow fantasy. Its winds destroy the innocent and powerless.

Time will stop.

Powerful barriers surround the proud, vain and arrogant. They know no storm can bring them down. The shadows hide their evil. Final victory will come soon.

Time has stopped.

In the darkest night, a dazzling power strikes with fury against the center of a hidden world.

Time starts again.

The reservoir descends into an abyss. A cataclysm collapses the barriers and washes away their filth. The night and its storm are over.

The mystery is complete. New vistas fill eyes with hope and joy.

Wake to see the sun rise on the horizon of a new world.

Cat-astrophe averted

A padlockI like my cat. She is well behaved and doesn’t make a mess.

I went to my storage unit today. I got out the padlock key. The lock was stuck in the hole so I tried wiggling it. Good enough….

Then, it happened. I dropped the key. It would normally not be a big deal.. lean over and pick it up, right? But to my misfortune, the key fell right into the crack between the unit’s concrete and the concrete along the pavement.

I was not too upset. (For sufficiently high values of “too upset.”)

I tried picking out out with a regular key tag and, of course, dropped the key tag in the slot too. I broke out the big guns and used the temple piece of my glasses to pull out both of them.

It looked like the groove went a lot deeper, but I was fortunate in my misfortune that it didn’t fall that deep.

I got one more box out of the storage unit—the rest of my music collection—so that I could continue making progress toward the goal of closing down the storage unit.

Time to put a bigger key tag on the key’s ring.

And Zorro was happy to see me when I returned home.

Sometimes

Sometimes life is fun. You have someone or something to fight against. One can find a passion that feels like life itself. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.

Sometimes life is painful. You have a problem too large. One finds that what you want is not what you need. If only tomorrow was already over.

Sometimes life is aggravating. You can’t find the last puzzle piece. One has never been able to get it done. If only tomorrow would never come.

Sometimes life is saddening. You have lost your best part. One can’t see the parts that are still there. If only it were yesterday again.

Sometimes life is exhilarating. You’ve got life by the balls. One can see the next big thing. If only I knew that yesterday.

Sometimes life is confusing.

House version 2.0

For several months, my bedroom was a shambles. I had hired someone to rip out the plaster and replace it with drywall. Unfortunately, he wasn’t qualified and left the place a mess. He had planned to do more work to finish it, but the quality wasn’t satisfactory. My bedroom was on standby as I slept in my living room for several months.

I was hospitalized in March for 10 days. Mom and dad made the room livable again. However, mom was operating under the direction “do not throw anything away” while also not knowing what different things were for or how to organize them.

She did her best, but one person’s organization can be another person’s chaos. I’m rearranging things in a big way–my vision is that it will be better than the original ever could be.

I’ve got various goals. One is to turn the house into a refuge from the storm for people needing help. I’ve already failed at having people stay with me, so that’s not an option. However, housing is not the only refuge people might need.

I’m hoping the living room can become a party room. While a typical party has loud music and posing, I’m hoping for the opportunity for small groups of people to share something unique. The current kitchen might double a room for people to meet in private.

The bedroom and office are in flux. On one hand, I’d like the current bedroom to be an office. I’ve got a map, but it would be cramped and the current computer room would become a bedroom and library. That’s a middle term goal while my primary goal is to close down my storage unit which costs about $40 per month. I’d also like to create a place for producing music and videos.

The expensive goals are to fix the plumbing, electrical outlets and lighting. This month I need to get a lot of quotes on the many different sub-projects.

I have big hopes and am looking forward to getting stability in what is currently very shaky. I’m tending toward having a tent theme to the house where the rooms will not be divided by modern plaster. I’d rather have a form that harks back to humanity’s experience as wanderers in a big world. Our world is hard to understand. Making something simple seems worthwhile.

An open letter to Jimmy Carter

I wish a falling star
would light that perfect candle.
Its wick would consume the darkness
and its fragrance perfume the night.

Faith does not regret its weakness
because its firm foundation is hope.
Our horizons are lighted by its joy
and its love glows all around us.

Each war must end one day
despite their evil power.
If rulers bare their steely eyes,
let our light blind their stare.

The swords of love and faith
can cut them from the story.
They should have no page to find
when history’s book is seen.

We have the tools to light that candle.
We have the pens to write the story.
We have love.
We have faith.
We have joy.
We have hope.

Dear Jimmy Carter,

Although the world loves its money and power, I believe the prayers of a child are a better guide. When they sing, they have no fear. When they hope, how can we explain the hate?

The boy from Cyprus can love a girl from Bogota. The child in Zanzibar could kiss the elders of Harbin.

To find a new world is all they ask: A world where children cry out of love and compassion and not sorrow or fear. It is a world that we can give them. Let no one take it away.

May God bless you this day!

Holy week is unique in 2018

On April 1, 2010 I had a cardiac arrest at work. I was able to survive, but have been disabled since them. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to work and the biggest long term accomplishment is that I’ve lived independently since then. Considering the length of time I was on CPR before my heart rhythm was restored, that’s no small matter, although I tend to take it for granted.

In addition, I was never in a coma and woke up the next day which was Good Friday. I had no broken ribs from the CPR and had no coronary artery disease when they did the heart catheterization.

This year, the 8th anniversary of the crisis, April 1 is Easter. That’s hard not to notice and it has a symbolic significance, if nothing else. Some of my friends with special dates such as the date of a death in the family, getting off drugs and alcohol or a divorce, the period leading up to the anniversary can be difficult.

This month I had a psychiatric crisis and was in the hospital for 10 days. Although it was triggered by a medication change, the day before my admission, my computers were doing impossible things. For example, one spontaneously started playing a recording of an learning day event I had recorded from a couple years ago. I do not even know where the files are and the tablet playing them had never had the audio files on them. One computer had the icons in the task bar counting in binary and there were other peculiar things as well. It was more than I could handle at the time and I haven’t looked very closely at it either–I don’t need to freak out again thinking dark agencies were at work against me. There were more than 8 files identified as being corrupted with viruses on my laptop and it was too much. However, I didn’t fold, throw down the cards and run.

It freaked me out extremely. As the last day unfolded, I became unable to do even some basic tasks like organize my medication tray. I discovered when I got home that some medications were causing bad effects when I took them.

This years, the weeks leading up to Easter are turning out to be difficult. Despite my decreased level of functioning (Now it *is* an accomplishment to be living independently), I’m hopeful that I can begin working again. No one has told me that it is not realistic, but they don’t want to dash my hopes. As a result, I haven’t got feedback how it’s unlikely that I’ll succeed, but I notice that unlikely and impossible are not the same.

I’m really thin emotionally and get sad and weepy really easily. I also have a lot more empathic understanding and am really good a recognizing other people’s challenges and try to help them as much as I can in a kind manner when I can.

I’ve made it through difficult times in the past and never given up trying to reach a fulfilling life. I have a lot of strengths, but putting it all together isn’t possible (today). I don’t have to run from my painful experiences and have faith that they are leading me forward. Easter is a celebration of rebirth and new beginnings.

I hope that I have a similar experience.

Talking the walk

The cliche emphasizes the need to walk the talk. That is, if you declare a path but don’t follow it, you’re just spouting hypocrisy and lies. The converse is talking the walk. This is a different principle, not leading to criticism and judgement, but rather it gives a path for growth and healing. It’s an opportunity for me to be myself, perhaps, to become a better me.

The gist is that while walking outside, I’m not so bound by the synthetic world of men. The static seat in the kitchen or an automobile’s mechanical cockpit get their light from anonymous strangers. By walking, I put my life in front of a different mirror and can see hidden strengths in the reflection.

A friend of mine does counseling with teens. He remarked that with teenage boys, instead of meeting in his office, going on a walk can be a lot more productive. The youths are able to be more direct and make more progress in that less clinical setting.

I’ve noticed a similar effect with myself. When I’m walking with someone, the distraction of my sink of dirty dishes is gone. I’m not avoiding a wreck as traffic merges onto the highway. Instead, I’m sharing an authentic experience with a friend.

Perhaps we’re walking in the park. If we come to a moment and need to contemplate alone, we can take a break and look at a remarkable oak tree and watch the birds fight on the playground. The transition is completely natural. All of that outer beauty won’t hide any inner beauty slowly forming within us together. We’re not trying to entertain each other nor put on the happy face.

When I’m talking the walk with a friend, we explore different parts of our lives. Sometimes I get answers and can solve problems. Of course, life isn’t deathly serious all the time. However, developing a pattern of shared meditation like this in good times can be golden when I don’t know what to ask.